Kansas University’s Class of 2011 will have to get up a little earlier in the morning to march through the Campanile and down Mount Oread.

KU is moving the start of its commencement activities to 10:30 a.m. beginning with next year’s May 22 ceremony.

Officials cited an effort to avoid the frequently hot weather and additional inclement weather options as reasons for the move.

The university held commencements in the morning during its early years, before moving to evenings in 1925. Commencement was held on Monday evenings before switching to Sundays in 1978, and then to 2:30 p.m. in 1990 over concerns that the lights were not adequate in Memorial Stadium.

The change means school and department recognition ceremonies will occur on the preceding Friday and Saturday, with no other official events being scheduled on commencement day.